Carnival of Conflict
by little-mass-suicide
Summary: After loosing a bet to his dad, Shino is forced to join Cirque de Nuit, a famous traveling circus, as the unacknowledged helper. What Shino doesn't realize is that this definatly isn't your run of the mill circus. GaaxSasu
1. Chapter 1

Chappie One

Shino wasn't sure how he got into this. He knew _why_, he just didn't understand how he was dumb enough to lose that bet to his dad. It just didn't add up! He is a straight A student, he has had a 4.0 GPA since second grade, and he was currently applying for William and Mary, a college that has a very good science program and is also conveniently close to his home in Williamsburg. That still didn't explain the reason why he was he was standing with basically all of his belongings in the dock of an exceedingly large cruise-like ship.

Said ship was actually the home of the famous Cirque de Nuit. If he was a believer in fate, he would be on his knees and cursing the stars right now. Of course that would be terribly out of character so he wasn't going to be doing that anytime soon.

While he was waiting for someone to come out of the massive ship, he decided to use the time to try and figure out exactly what it was that he did wrong.

The end of his life started exactly eleven days ago.

Flashback

Shino was currently sitting on his bed studying so that there was no chance that he would fail his upcoming placement test. While he was thoroughly enjoying his text book, he just couldn't ignore the gut feeling that something bad was about to happen.

His dad, Shibi Aburame, was currently out "socializing" at some "get-together" with some "close friends". The reason why Shino knew this wasn't true was because every Saturday that he was given this excuse, his dad had come home the next morning with a common hooker attached to his arm. He normally had to beat them off his doorstep with a broom. As if detaching them from his dad's arm was hard enough.

Shino sighed and set his book down on his bed and glanced at the alarm clock that was sitting on his night stand. After realizing that it was already past three a.m., he climbed off his bed and walked down the stairs of their two story house.

Once he reached the front door, he unlocked it purely out of hop that his father would be home early that night.

Once that was taken care of, he padded over to the kitchen, flipped on the light and proceeded to make himself a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Getting bored, he decided to debate on whether or not his meal would be considered a late dinner, since he didn't eat dinner, or a very early breakfast.

Grabbing his sandwich and walking out of the kitchen towards the dining room table, he places his food down on the cold surface and walks over to the coat closet, reaching in and grabbing the three foot long crow bar he kept there for safety purposes.

Yes, he did believe the women who came home with his dad to be threats to his safety. He hadn't always used a crow bar, there was a time when a broom was all he needed to detach the leeches from his dad's arm. A broom _used _to be enough, until one of the women took our her zippo lighter and lit the broom on fire. Nearly burnt down the house, too.

After making sure that his crow bar was well within reach, he sat down at the table and picked up his sandwich, taking a small bite out of it while listening for the familiar crunch of his dad's car tires on the drive way.

Shino couldn't really blame his dad for wanting to go out as often as he did. Being the high up scientist that he was, he was forced to be serious and ready for work the second he stepped out of the door most mornings. This being the case, his dad tended to act a little...different...when it was only him and Shino at home. It was almost like he was a completely different person. Serious and hard working around everyone else, fun and a bit nutty around Shino.

Not that Shino cared. He had learned how to live with it years ago. In fact, not that he was going to be telling anyone anytime soon, but he kind of like having a strange dad. It kept him on his toes. Which is why feeling like something bad was about to happen isn't something that surprised Shino all that much.

He was about half way through his sandwich when he heard the loud 'slam' of a car door being shut. He already knew it was his dad because no one in their right mind would want to visit him or his dad on a Saturday night at the ungodly hour of 3:30 a.m. He only heard one car door being shut so he knew there wasn't going to be any need for the crow bar, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be cautious about how his father was going to be acting.

Oh, he could hear his dad's footsteps now. Someone must have been smart enough to take his alcohol away for his footsteps sounded pretty even.

_Thump_ Crash "SHIT!"

Shino sighed and moved to get up from the table, then immediately sat down after realizing that his life could be in danger. He could still hear his dad talking to whatever he tripped over.

"Stupid garden gnome. Why do your hats have to be so damn pointy? They HURT! I'm bleeding! I hope you're happy, ya stupid little..."

'So it was the garden gnome,' Shino thought, 'I never liked that thing.' Everything else his dad probably said was drowned out be a very large splash, followed by an obnoxiously loud shriek of "Victory is mine!"

'Great...he threw the gnome in the pool. And I'm going to be the one who has to fish it out.'

Deciding to actually get up this time, Shino went over and opened the door for his drunk father. He really didn't feel like having to replace a door. Again.

The sight he was graced with didn't really startle him. His dad must have wanted to go for the "raver" look this time. He was wearing a lime green, short sleeve shirt with two black stripes going across the front. Instead of the common pair of faded Levi's, he had decided to go with dark brown leather pants and a white studded belt. He had a pair of black boots that went up to his knees and had various sized buckles on it. He had black, fingerless gloves on that went up to a little above his elbows and a black choker with a dog tag on it completed the look. Whatever look he was going for. His dad was probably the only 38 year old he knew that could actually look decent in an outfit like that.

His dad, hearing the door slide open, looked up and stared at Shino for a few seconds before any sort of recognition flashed into his eyes.

"Oh! Hey, Shin-chan! Guess what!"

Shino sighed and replied tiredly, "What?"

"I drowned the garden gnome!" He looked at Shino excitedly before doing a little hop and walking past Shino and into the house.

After closing and locking the door, Shino followed his dad into the kitchen and immediately suggested that his dad should go change and get in bed.

"Nonsense." Shibi retorted, beginning to search through the cabinets before grabbing a box of Oreo's and turning to face Shino with a serious look on his face. "I'm not tired. And besides, I have a proposition for you."

Shino didn't say anything, but the slight raise of an eyebrow urged his dad to continue.

Shibi, getting the hint, finished voicing his thought. "I want to make a bet with you."

"What kind of bet?" Shino couldn't believe he was actually asking.

Shibi smirked and leaned back against the counter. "You are going to apply to that one college, right? The one with the really good genetics program?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I want to give you a little...test." He replied coyly.

"What kind of test? I'm already studying." Shino was starting to get confused. The only thing he did lately was study. Did his dad doubt him that much?

"I want you to genetically alter a common black beetle. Everything has to be the same, except it needs to be the size of a wolf." The whole time he was saying this, Shibi was analyzing his son. He already knew he had all the smarts to get into that college. He just wanted to have his son make a few friends along the way instead of isolating himself. He observed how Shino's brow was furrowed. 'He's taking the bait! All I gotta do is convince him and my plan is in motion,' Shibi thought to himself while laughing hysterically inwardly.

"What does this have to do with the bet?" Shino inquired. This wasn't making any sense.

This time, Shibi did laugh hysterically. He did it! His brilliant plan has been set into motion! "If you successfully alter the beetle, I will pay for every single college expense you will ever have."

Shibi could tell he was confused and shocked. Who wouldn't be? He suddenly tensed up after realizing that these next few minutes would determine the next year or two of Shino's future.

Shino still didn't understand where this was leading. 'Having dad pay for everything would be beneficial. I can tell there is a catch, though.'

"What happens if I don't properly mutate it?" Shino awaited the answer, and he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what his dad was going to say.

'Here it is.' Shibi thought. "If you do not perfectly enlarge the specimen, I will not pay for all of your fares, buy you will also have to join the circus."

If Shino had been drinking anything at the moment, he probably would have spewed it in his dad's face. 'The circus?! He had more alcohol than I thought!' After getting his heart rate back to a more normal level, he gave his dad a _very_ confused look.

"The circus?"

"...Yeah."

"Why...the circus?"

"It would be funny. It would also provide motivation for you to not mess up."

"...That is a good point."

While Shino was considering the bet, Shibi had a rather amused look on his face, one that could easily be confused with a look that represented insanity. 'He's gonna do it. He's gonna do it. He just ate the last oreo, but he's gonna do...wait...the last oreo...'

While Shibi was having the delightful little conversation with himself, nearing the borderline of insanity, Shino had reached over and took the last oreo from the box sitting on the counter. Having already eaten the small cookie, Shino was currently looking at his dad with a look that clearly said 'What the fuck are you on?' plastered on his face.

Shibi was staring at his son with a crazed look, before he stood up, put a hand on his right hip and cocked his left hip up in the air and raised his free hand and did the z-snap while bobbing his head in time to the snaps.

"Oh no you didn't, be-yotch."

'That's it', Shino thought, 'dad had officially lost it. First the circus, now this.' Shino slowly backed away a few steps, grabbing the crow bar and holding it in front of himself defensively. Just because it was his dad didn't mean he would hold back. It didn't stop him from hitting his dad over the head with a frying pan full of still cooking food two weeks ago. His dad had called him Brittany Spears and had tried to hump his leg. It was very disturbing.

Shibi was currently stalking towards Shino, looking ready to pounce, when he tripped over his own feet and was sent flying forward, doing a little superman pose in midair, then landing flat on his face. He tried to quickly gain composure and rolled over on his side and struck a supposedly "sexy" pose.

"So, whaddya say, son? Will ya do it?"

Shino wasn't sure if he should or not. He was fairly confident with his skills, and it was getting late. He came to a conclusion, and answered his dad with a simple, "I accept."

Shibi shrieked, jumped up, and started to do a weird mix of a touchdown dance and a hot potato dance. Then he suddenly stopped and turned serious and looked at Shino before saying in a grave voice, "You have two days to complete the task. Then...I will come for you." He then promptly flopped to the floor and fell asleep.

Shino looked at his dad before quietly walking upstairs and climbing into his bed.

End Really Long Flashback

Shino had been so sure that he was going to win. But no, he lost it to a stump of a seventh leg. He had enlarged the beetle perfectly. There just had to be a little stump of a seventh leg on the back of the beetle. What made it worse was when he realized that his future had been determined by a deformed bug leg. That just made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

While he was fuming silently to himself, he hadn't noticed the man who had come out of the ship. The man who was currently poking Shino's forehead. Repetitively. In the same spot. With a frozen fish.

Shino stopped his musing in favor of glaring at the man, hoping that he and his frozen fish would spontaneously combust and prove all the scientists wrong. 'I wish he would keep his frozen fish to himself and leave me alone!' When the man switched from poking him to smacking him upside the head with it was when Shino had decided to voice his opinion.

"Would you please keep your frozen fish to yourself and leave me ALONE?!"

The man looked surprised for a few seconds before acquiring a very large grin. Or, that's what Shino assumed since 3/4 of the strange man's face was covered with a dark blue mask and a folded black bandana. Shino thought that was fairly strange. In fact, now that he had a _chance_ to look at him, he concluded that the man in general was definitely out of the ordinary. Actually, he looked like a guy who just went on a shopping spree in a kinky sex shop and decided to wear his merchandise in public.

The man was wearing a very, _very_ tight pair of black, low-riding leather pants with multiple rips along his thighs, letting glimpses of his pale, creamy skin show through. Ending around mid-calf was a pair of black, leather three inch platform boots. Around his neck was a black collar with two inch spikes going around the whole thing, Shino could swear he could see blood stains on them. He had on a white muscle shirt with eye-ball size pink polka-dots on it. Donning his fore arms was a pair of fishnets arm warmers, though Shino supposed they didn't keep anything warm for very long. Around the man's left wrist was a pair of handcuffs, and his left hand was still poised beside Shino's head, grasping the frozen fish. Hooked through the purple belt around the man's slim waist was a whip. The sight of the object scared Shino a bit, along with the handcuffs.

Shino decided to ignore the man's appearance for a few moments and decided to actually say something.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Well, shouldn't I be asking you the same thing? After all, you are the one who has been standing in front of the ship in the same spot for the last two hours." The man was starting to get on his nerves.

"..."

"Let's try that again. I'm Kakashi. What's your name?"

"Why do you want to know my name? For all I know, you could be a pedophile. You also took it upon yourself to smack me in the head with a frozen fish. If I have any reason to tell you my name, please tell me because you have about 20 seconds before I start screaming rapist at the top of my lungs."

Shino was expecting the man to immediately leave. What he _wasn't_ expecting was Kakashi to fall to his knees and bury his face in his hands and start bawling his eyes out.

"A-All I did was ask your NAME! Why d-do you have to be so -sob- _mean_ to me? I g-gave up my alone time with my dolphin-chan to come out and -hiccup- g-get the new employee. Y-You were the only person out here who fit the d-description that was sent to us, so I automatically knew it was you. I t-tried to g-get your attention, and w-when I did, I was nice and then you YELL at m-me and accuse me of being a -sob- pedophile. Y-You big fat MEANIE HEAD!!"

Unknown to Shino, during the whole speech, Kakashi was smirking behind his mask. 'If that doesn't get him, nothing will. He's going to pay for making me get dirt on these pants.'

Shino was currently staring at him like he was a six-headed dinosaur who had just tripped over a ladybug. It was slightly creepy, but at the same time, Shino couldn't help but feel sorry for what he did. Then all traces of guilt faded and were replaced with upmost annoyance as Kakashi started to bawl some more. 'My GOD what is wrong with this man?!'

Hey. Do you still want to know my name?" Shino had decided to put an end to this crap.

Kakashi instantly perked up. Jumping to his feet, throwing the fish to the ground and grasping Shino's hands in his own, he exclaimed, "Really?!?"

Shino sighed. "My name is Shino Aburame. I do believe I am the person you are looking for."

Kakashi nodded knowingly before dropping Shino's hands and picking up the teen's luggage. "Right-o! Come with me! The quicker we get to the ship, the sooner you can start your initiation, and the sooner I can get back to pounding my dolphin-chan into the mattress."

Shino looked at him for a few seconds before follwing him to the ship.

**LMS**: Hello, peoples! To anyone who decided to read this story to the end of the page, THANK YOU!! This just happens to be my first sorry attempt at a real fan fiction, and I really don't think I did all that well. So it would be nice if you could drop me a review or two, just to see how ya like my story. Questions, comments, whatever ya like. It would be highly appreciated, no doubt about it!

Ja!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

'This guy is crazy!' Shino though. 'First, he comes into public wearing… _that_… then he attempts to beat me with a frozen fish, then he falls to the ground crying like a baby that just got their favorite toy taken away. Then he just walks off with all of my luggage and spouts off crap about pounding a dolphin into his mattress. Isn't that illegal? -' Shino's thought were cut off as the annoying-gone-quiet man decided to become annoying once again.

"What are you thinking about?" Kakashi questioned. He had taken it upon himself to annoy the teen until he talked as often as a normal person.

"…Isn't screwing an animal illegal?" Shino asked innocently. He really wanted to know.

That response defiantly wasn't the one that Kakashi was expecting. He dropped Shino's suitcase like it was burning him, then took to staring at Shino for a few seconds. When Shino mumbled out a little "I'm serious", Kakashi promptly burst out laughing. 'oh God! I thought this kid was supposed to be smart!'

Shino was starting to get a little pissed off. Here he was, asking a _serious_ question and Kakashi was currently laughing his ass off. 'Maybe it is legal here….' Then it donned on him. "Dolphin-chan wouldn't happen to be a nickname, would it?"

Kakashi just laughed louder.

"It is… I knew it," Shino felt so stupid. He had totally overlooked the fact that dolphins can't last long out of water, and Kakashi had clearly said "mattress".

Kakashi had finally gotten his laughing under control, though every few seconds he would giggle a little under his breathe. 'God, that was funny. He is the first one to have ever brought that up. It didn't help that he said it with a totally straight face, either. I have a feeling that everyone is going to like him just fine.' Kakashi frowned. 'Though, if he gets too close to Iruka, I'm going to have to kick him off the ship.'

Shino seemed to read his mind. "Don't worry. I have no interests in relationships at the moment."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow while bending down to pick up the luggage he had dropped during his laughing seizure. "You are supposed to be what… 17?"

"… 18."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend before?" Kakshi resumed walking towards the ship again, Shino trailing after him.

"I never wanted one."

"How about a boyfriend?"

"If I never wanted a girlfriend, what makes you think I've had a boyfriend?" Shino wasn't sure he like where this conversation was going.

"You never know. You don't' a have anything against gay people, right?" Kakashi looked at Shino intensely. Shino could tell that he was very serious and was asking for an honest answer. On pain of death.

"I have nothing against homosexuality. As long as you love the person, I don't think it matters what their gender is."

Kakashi's one visible eye went into its happy, upside down 'U'. "That was the perfect answer, kid. I think you will fit in just fine."

"Should I be glad?"

"Very glad."

"Hn. While we are on the topic, who is this Dolphin-chan?"

"He's me boyfriend, and if you look at him in the wrong way even once, I will find out and I will castrate you with a 200 year old fork." He was serious. _Very_ serious.

"Have you ever done that?"

"Done what?"

"Castrate someone with a 200 year old fork."

"Why, yes. Yes I have. His name was Mizuki and I did it because he tried to stick his hand down Iruka-chan's pants. That was about a month ago and I do believe he just got done with his last surgery." You could tell that Kakashi was very proud of himself.

"Is Iruka like you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…"Shino gestured vaguely at Kakashi's clothes. "…. Like you."

Kakashi glanced down then chuckled." No, Iruka is pretty normal compared to everyone else in this place."

"Hn."

"HEY! You better not go Sasuke on me! If you go Sasuke on me… I'll… I'll go Naruto on your ass!"

"Sasuke? Naruto?" Shino was confused. Again.

"… Never mind… you'll soon enough. Ah! Here we are! Welcome to my beloved ship, home of Cirque de Nuit and the haters of sanity and anything normal." Kakashi spread his arms out, after setting the luggage down of course, and motioned around the deck of the ship.

It looked like one of those deluxe cruise ships that you always see on the commercials for expensive getaway vacations. There was a massive pool near the front of it, and it looked like some sort of huge party was soon to be expected. Lamps and streamers hung off of posts, metal beams, and the wires. Wooden tables were spread out everywhere with exotic and delicious looking food on every one of them. Even though only a fifth of the deck was visible[A/N: It is one of those huge ships that have 10 or 12 floors that take up a big part of the deck space. The party stuff is on the front 1/5 of the deck. it was still a magnificent sight.

'It's so big! I could defiantly get used to living here!' An impatient Kakashi poking his shoulder interrupted Shino's thoughts.

"Sooo… what do you think? Can you live with it? Or do you already want to jump off and commit suicide?" Kakashi really did want to know what Shino thought. Though, he supposed it didn't matter. Shino was stuck here whether he liked it or not.

"Frankly, I think it is amazing. What is the occasion?"

Kakashi looked very pleased with himself. He had worked on the decorations all by himself. Everyone else had gone shopping; taking advantage of the mall that could be seen from the dock. Even his Iruka!

"One, you are going to be a part of the staff, after initiation. And two, I got bored because my 'Ruka-kun wasn't here."

"Thanks, I guess. Why do you keep using Japanese suffixes?" Shino questioned. The man really didn't look Japanese to him, even if his name sounded Japanese.

"Well, we had performed in Japan one time and we heard the cute, little add-ons and they just grew on." It was true. If you added a "-kun" or a "-chan" on anyone's name, it makes them sound ten times cuter. "That, and most everyone here has some Japanese in them."

"Oh. That makes sense," Shino looked around, noting that the only people pn the deck were him and Kakashi. "Where is everyone?"

"Hm? Oh. I guess it's okay to call them out. Wait. You have to do your initiation while meeting people. It's a rule," Kakashi stated while doing a good boy pose. "Now, to think of an initiation."

"What type of initiation?" Shino wasn't worried about it being something embarrassing. He had done plenty of strange things in his childhood years. No thanks to his dad.

"Just something that you have to do while we give you the tour of the ship and introduce you to the other staff members. Now… let's see. Maybe I should get someone else to give you the initiation. I'm tired of thinking of stupid ideas." Kakashi took a deep breath and Shino instantly braced himself for what he could tell was coming. "GAI-SEEEENNSSSEEEIII!!!" Kakashi screamed at the top of his lungs.

After pausing for a few seconds, he looked expectantly at one of the many doors to the first floor of the ship.

Shino unconsciously tensed up. He did _not_ have a good feeling about-

"BEHOLD!! THE ALMIGHTY GREEN BEAST OF THE TRAVELING CIRCUS!! BE AMAZED BY MY YOUTHFUL YOUTHFULLNESS! HOW ARE YOU TODAY MY-EGAD!! WE HAVE A NEW YOUTHFUL BEING ON THE SHIP!! WHO MIGHT YOU BE, OH YOUTHFUL NEW PERSON?!"

Shino just about crapped his pants.

The loud man, Gai-sensei Shino assumed, was currently standing in front of him with his hands on Shino's shoulders, his head a mere inch away from Shino's. He was wearing a green spandex leotard with bright orange leg warmers and strange blue sandals on. His eyebrows were larger than the mammoth caterpillars Shino had raised. A shiny black bowl-cut completed the horrific look the man was going for.

And Shino was defiantly horrified.

"I-I'm Shino." This guy had issues. Shino was surprised that no one had stuck him in an institution yet.

"SHINO! WHAT A PERFECT YOUTHFUL NAME!!"

"Th-thanks, I guess," Shino wasn't sure what he was supposed to say, though he was sure that he defiantly wasn't as "youthful" as the man thought he was.

"NO PROBLEM!! Say, rival, is this the youthful new member we have all heard about? May I partake in the giving of the initiation?"

"Sure Gai. Actually, that is exactly what I called you here for. I decided that you should be the one to choose Shino's initiation." Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at the look Shino was currently giving him. 'This kid has probably shown more emotions in the past hour then he has in the last ten years. Well, I guess that is a good thing. I will never get him to openly talk if he doesn't show more of his emotions.'

Gai currently had streams of joyful tears running down his face as he turned his face to the sky and started yelling at the top of his lungs while sparkles appeared around him out of no where and a mysterious wave crashed behind him.

"I FEEL SO HONORED THAT MY HIP, YOUNG AND YOUTHFUL RIVAL CHOSE ME TO DECIDE THE INITIATION FOR THE NEWBIE!!"

Kakashi looked like he was used to these kinds of outbursts from Gai. "Yes, okay Gai. Now, since we still have to introduce him to everyone else, it would help if you thought up the initiation in the next five seconds, please."

"RIGHT-O! Now, for your youthful initiation, you shall wear," at this Gai pulled reached behind him and pulled out from God knows where, a green spandex jumpsuit identical to the one that he was currently wearing. "THIS!! You will wear this jumpsuit of LOVE all day. Every time you meet someone you do not know you will scream: WHO ARE YOU, MY YOUTHFUL FRIEND?!" Gai looked like he was proud and constipated at the same time. Not a good mix in Shino's book. [A/N: Is it even possible to look like that?

Shino looked at him like he had grown a second head. "You… are crazy."

"THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT!!"

Kakashi leaned over to whisper in Shino's ear. "He won't shut up unless you accept the initiation. Believe me. Others have tried."

'There is no way in hell I am wearing that,' Shino thought.

"I'll give you a dollar," Gai taunted.

Kakashi started his whispering again. "After the offering, he will exploit your weakness."

"Say… Shino. Since I am one of the instructors here, I got the chance to read your profile when we were deciding whether or not to accept you. I found out some pretty interesting things on there."

Shino raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like you have a weird dad. And that you enjoy studying insects."

"Okay… what of it?"

Shino didn't think Gai could use that information on him.

He though wrong.

Shino's eyes widened as he saw Gai take out a tarantula and dangle it over the side of the ship.

Shino growled. "Fine. I'll do your stupid initiation." He stalked over to Gai and yanked the jumpsuit out of his hand and ground out, "Where is the bathroom?"

Kakashi looked at him apologetically before pushing open huge double doors and leading Shino inside.

'HOLY _SHIT_! This place is HUGE!' The room that the door led to was the dining room that Shino assumed that everyone of the ship used. It was about the size of one of the old fashion ballrooms in those ancient mansions. There was another pair of double doors that were propped open so Shino could see some of the inside of the kitchen. Tables and chairs were strategically placed around the room. Vases of roses were placed on random tables and the color scheme seemed to be black and blood red. There was a medium sized dessert buffet against the far wall and above it were large mirrors, placed there to make the room seem larger. To Shino's left was a small stage, probably for a minor act during meal time. Kakashi pointed out that the bathroom was to Shino's right.

Shino scowled and walked into the bathroom. Naturally it was a very nice bathroom. Glaring at himself in the mirror, he unzipped and took off his jacket and yanked off his shirt before toeing out of his shoes and stepping out of his gray cargo pants. Looking at the jumpsuit in distaste, he wormed his way into it then slipped his feet back into his shoes. After glancing at himself in the mirror, his hate for the green monstrosity grew to uncharted heights.

He grabbed his clothes and took a deep breath before pushing the door open and walking out. Seeing Kakashi, he walked over to him and stood there. Noticing that Kakashi was trying to hold in his laughter, Shino's scowl increased ten fold.

It was taking all that Kakashi had not to burst out laughing. 'With the spiky-ish hair and the sunglasses, he looks like a men-in-black guy that committed social suicide.'

"We should probably go and show Gai now," Kakashi choked out.

'Really, talking while trying not to laugh is bad for your health, 'cause Kakashi looks like he is going to puke and pee his pants,' SHino thought to himself. On normal circumstances, Shino would have continued making fun of Kakashi in his head, but was cut off as Gai caught sight of him and started squealing like a rabid fangirl on crack.

"Ohmigod! You look almost as good as _I_ do! You look so youthful in that jumpsuit!"

"Good. Now that we have that covered, can we please move on? I would like to take this off as soon as possible." Even though Shino wasn't going to say it, the jumpsuit _was_ pretty comfortable...'wait...NOO! I'm being brainwashed by a friggin' _jumpsuit_ for christ's sake! What is wrong with me?!' Shino was starting to hyperventilate, causing him to get more weird looks than usual.

"Now that you have the jumpsuit of YOUTHFULNESS, we shall go around and meet new people!"

Gai was really starting to get on his nerves.

Shino ground out a "whatever" before starting to walk to the exit door. Right before he turned the door knob and pushed the door open, the door flew open, cracking against Shino's forehead and knocking him to the ground.

As Shino groaned and propped himself up on a hand and rubbing his head with the other, he saw the reason _why_ the door seemingly attacked him. [A/N: I hate it when that happens.

Standing a few feet away from him was a teen age boy. Knees bent with his hands resting on top of them, he seemed to have ran to the dining room due to the way he was breathing heavily and his face was flushed. He was dressed strangely, too. Not as strange as Kakashi or Shino's dad when he is drunk, but still strange. The teen was wearing a black belly shirt that could hardly be called a shirt due to the fact that it didn't cover much skin. Even though the circus wasn't supposed to be performing that day, it apparently didn't stop the by from wearing a pair of black skin tight pants that were very similar to the par that Kakashi was wearing. Though the rips and tears were higher. _Much_ higher up. To the point where you could tell that the only type of underwear the teen could have been wearing would be a thong. But Shino _really_ didn't feel like asking. Donning his feet were a pair of shoes that were very similar to combat boots.

'If this is how he dresses on normal day, I wouldn't be surprised if he wore his underwear to performances," Shino really meant it.

The mystery teen straightened his back and flicked a strand of short, black hair out of his face before turning to Kakashi to say half seriously, "Naruto and Sasuke were playing truth or dare and Sasuke dared Naruto to stick his tongue in an electrical socket. Naruto, being the stupid, dick-less moron that he is, actually did it, and I don't think he's doing too well."

Kakashi looked more amused then anything.

Gai, on the other hand, went into a demented frenzy of shrieking and crying.

"Oh my _GOD_! WHAT IF HE _DIES_?!? WE MUST GET THERE AS FAST AS WE CAN! Come, Sai! You and I will race my rival to see who can save poor Naruto-kun!"

At this, Gai bounded over to Sai, picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. After a quick yell of "GO!", Gai opened the door and sprinted out of it. Sai yelling his complaints the whole time.

Shino finally thought it was safe to get up off the floor and raised a questioning eyebrow in Kakashi's direction. "And that was...?"

Kakashi sighed before turning to face Shin. "That was Sai. He works with the lighting, stage stuff, and basically anything that has to do with art. He is one of the many strange people you are going to meet." kakashi turned and motioned for Shino to follow him before walking towards the kitchen. "You can leave your clothes there. I'll come back later and get them and your luggage and bring them to your room. I'll get someone to give you a tour of the ship later, too."

"Sure."

Pushing the door open, Kakashi took a sharp left, walking through and walking into a different room. It was a fairly normal room. There were a few couches and lounge chairs scattered everywhere, especially by the huge flat screen TV. In one corner of the room was a large desk housing six or seven computers. You could tell these people made a _very_ large amount of money.

A few feet away from the TV was a small group of people kneeling down beside a blonde teen who was seemingly unconscious judging by the way he didn't respond when Kakashi walked over and kicked him in the stomach.

'So the blond is Naruto,' Shino thought. Looking over to Kakashi, he saw that he was talking to a dark haired teen who developed a smirk when Kakashi said something and gestured to Naruto. Wanting to find out what was going on, Shino silently listened in on their "conversation."

"You didn't have to do that, Sasuke," kakashi said.

"Hn."

"Sasuke, you know he would have done it."

"I stopped him."

"Then why is he unconscious?"

Sasuke pointed to a rather large hole in the wall directly above an electrical socket.

Kakashi looked at it for a few seconds before turning to blankly stare a Sasuke. "You slammed his head... through the wall?"

"It worked."

"Well..next time you decide to tell someone to do something stupid, find a way to stop them that is slightly less expensive please?"

"Well, it was kinda funny," a teen with brown hair interjected.

"Shut up, Kiba. No one cares what you think," Sasuke snapped at him. Kiba looked like he was used to this verbal abuse.

Seeing as how Kakashi's and Sasuke's conversation was over, Shino decided to take a look at the other people who were currently sitting around the unconsious and twitching blond.

There was four other people, all male, not including Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and himself.

One of them Shino remembered Sasuke calling Kiba. He had a mop of brown, spiky hair and he had strange red, triangular tattoos on his cheeks. He had large, chocolate brown eyes and a cocky grin that seemed to be constantly plastered on his face. Instead of the leather that the people seemed to favor here, Kiba was only wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a form fitting black shirt. Instead of shoes, he just had on a pair of white socks. Seemed normal enough.

The second guy looked... strange. Like he couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to be a guy or a girl. He had long, black hair that reached his lower back. His eyes were a pale lavender and surprisingly pupil-less. Even though the raven haired teen had a fairly slim build, Shino could tell he could _definitely _kick some ass if need be. But it wasn't the teen's physical features that threw Shino off. It was what the guy was _wearing_. He was wearing a dark purple silk vest that had a flap of fabric on the bottom that wrapped around his rib-cage and fastened on the other side. Most of his lithe mid-section was uncovered and the only thing he wore on his arms was a pair of silver bands of metal that were wrapped around his upper arm, one on each side. The teen had light purple silky looking pants that were pretty loose and hung off the boy's frame until they were tied off a few inches above his ankles. Wrapped around the top of his pants was a light blue silk skirt with strange and intricate designs around the border. Instead of shoes, he had on a pair of black slippers. Probably because the shoes that actually _went_ with the get-up were most likely uncomfortable. The thing that amused Shino was that the teen had a silvery purple veil flipped back over his hair. 'These people... are weird.'

"Hey. Excuse me."

Shino quickly looked up and found that the person he had just been observing was trying to get his attention. With one hand on his hip, the male looked even more feminine now than before.

"Yes?"

"Who are you?"

Kakashi glanced up and realized that he had forgotten to introduce Shino. What, with all the head smashing through wall business, something like that would be easily forgotten.

"Sorry guys. This is Shino. The new guy who will be joining us."

Kiba swung his head around and promptly burst out laughing when he saw what Shino was wearing.

Neji raised an eyebrow but slowly extended his hand and when Shino reached out and grasped it, shook it firmly.

"I'm Neji Hyuuga. Judging by your clothes, Gai-sensei got to you?"

Shino sighed and replied with a, "yeah."

Kiba stopped his sudden laughing fit and playfully punched Shino's arm. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka. Nice to meetcha and welcome to the strangest place on earth. What's your job gonna be?"

Kakashi saw Shino's uncertain look, or rather the uncertain raise of an eyebrow, and quickly interjected. "He's going to be doing a lot of different things. He will work the ticket booth on most performance nights and will help with the animals. Load and unload them, feed them and all that jazz. He will also be helping with the props for Akatsuki. Basically doing whatever I tell him to do. Ain't that great?"

Kiba's eyes lit up when he heard the part about helping with the animals. "Yeah, that's great! That means you're going to be hanging out with me!"

"Should I be glad?"

Neji snorted in amusement where Kiba assumed an expression of hurt. "Of _course_, buddy. It's better than being stuck with the Ice Prince over here," Kiba jabbed a thumb in Sasuke's direction.

Sasuke glared at Kiba before walking over to Shino and offering his hand like Neji had done, "I'm Sasuke Uchiha, I doubt I'll work with you that much, but I'll see you around," he muttered while shaking Shino's hand.

"Hn."

When Sasuke calmly walked out of the room, Shino's attention turned to a red-head that was still crouching by the dead-looking Naruto. Said red-head was wearing a black skintight shirt like Kiba, but he was wearing black jeans and the classic pair of black and white converse. The thick black rings around his vivid green eyes made the teen look like some sort of demented nocturnal animal. He also had a strange blood red tattoo on the side of his forehead.

Kiba noticed that Shino was looking at the silent teen and he leaned over and said quietly to Shino, "That's Gaara. He kinda anti-social and the only person he talks to is Naruto. Otherwise, its like talking to a wall. Actually, you get more responses when you are talking to a real wall then when you are talking to him."

"Hm."

Whatever retort Kiba had was immediately cut off as a door by the TV flew open and slammed against the wall, the doorknob creating yet _another_ hole in the wall, much to Kakashi's displeasure.

He became even more annoyed when he realized that it was Gai carrying a kicking and screaming Sai that was the cause of the second hole.

"IS NARUTO OKAY?! IS HE DEAD?!" Gai shrieked when he saw the unconsious Naruto and flung Sai to the floor before rushing over and picking up Naruto's limp form.

There where many different reactions when he did this.

Sai was not happy when he was suddenly dropped to the floor. He had been abducted by the green man, carried all over the boat, and when Gai realized that he didn't know where Naruto _was_, he was then carried all over the dock when he tried to find Iruka. When Sai informed him that Iruka was still at the mall, he took off yet again, running and screaming through the massive building until he realized that Iruka wouldn't know because Iruka wasn't there. He was still tied to the bed where Kakashi left him Then he remembered that he was carrying Sai and asked him what room. Half an hour is what it took the man to remember that he was carrying the person who had originally told him of the problem. And then he had the nerve to throw him on the floor? Just to go over to the dick-less wonder?! That man was going to _pay_. Just not now.

Gaara glared at the Gai before punching the man in the face and taking Naruto into his own arms. No one was going to man handle his friend like that. _No one_. Glaring down at the green-clad man, Gaara stood up and walked over to a large lounge chair and placing Naruto in it before glaring menacingly at everyone else.

All Kakashi did was chuckle in amusement and calmly kick Gai's side like he does to everyone who just happens to be unconsious and right in front of his feet.

"What the hell just happened?" Neji asked. The same question was probably running through Kiba and Shino's head as well. Well, not Shino's. Just Kiba's.

"Well. Apparently Gai ran in with Sai, threw him on the ground when he saw me. Gaara got mad and punched out Gai and picked my up and put me on this chair. Then Kakashi kicked Gai. That just about sums it up."

Everyone immediately stopped whatever they were doing, or weren't doing, and looked over to a completely awake and grinning Naruto.

"How do... You know that, Naruto?" Kiba questioned.

Naruto grinned even wider before answering. "I never was unconsious. I was just pretending!"

Sai got up and walked over to Naruto and slapped him across the face.

Kiba looked at him incredulously. "Dude. You just _slapped_ him."

"Yeah?" Sai looked at him.

"Guys don't slap people, they _hit_ people, ya sissy."

Sai looked at him weirdly then walked, no, not walked, _strutted_, out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"That guy reeks gay-ness," Naruto informed them all.

"Yeah, and you don't?" Kiba remarked.

"Shut up, dog shit," Naruto scowled.

"Well, now that we have that taken care of, Naruto, this is Shino. Shino, Naruto," Kakashi introduced the two.

Naruto turned to Shino before jumping up and walking over to him and shoving his grinning face in Shino's personal space bubble. "HI! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and one day I am going to be the head of this circus!"

Shino stared blankly at him.

"Oh great. We have another broody one," Naruto dead panned.

Gaara frowned and walked out of the room as well.

Naruto turned and ran out of the room after Gaara once he saw him leave.

Kiba sighed. "Well, wasn't that exciting. Ah, I've got to get back to the loading docks to help Kyu unload the empty crates. That guy does not know how to stack boxes right," Kiba sighed again before walking out of the door leading to the kitchen.

"I suppose I'll stay with you guys. There really isn't anything better to do around here," Neji offered.

Kakashi looked at Neji hopefully. "Does that mean you will finish introducing Shino to everyone? I have to get back to screwing 'Iruka-kun senseless."

Neji hesitated before replying with a meek "Sure."

"YAY! I'm comin' 'Ruka!" Kakashi squealed out before dashing out the door. His cries of joy could be heard all over the ship. In some distant room, Iruka quivered in fear.

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A/N: Hello people! The second chapter is finally finished. It has actually been finished for about one week, it just takes me awhile to type it seeing as how I don't own a computer myself. Thanks to the people who have actually read this far. I'll try to write faster and I have about six more stories I have to work on so it might be a bit before the third chapter is posted which is why I try to make them long. Anywho, drop a review if ya feel like it. See ya, peeps!

LMS


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